Playing-cards.



' ma ma A. A. BIUCCHI. PLAYING CARDS. APPLICATION men NOV. 8. I9l6.

Patented July 17, 1917.

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ALFRED A. BIUCCI-II, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PLAYING-CABDS.

Specificationof Letters Patent. fPatented July 1'7, 1917.

Application filed November 8, 1916. Serial No. 130,252.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED ARTHUR BIUGOHI, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Playing-Cards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of playing cards adapted for use by the blind.

The object of the invention is to produce a pack of cards which can be identified by the sense of touch only, so that blind people may use them.

The invention consists in so altering the usually plain edge of the cards, and so perforating or raising their faces, that a blind person by feeling for the distinctive marks may be able to identify a pa'rticularcard thereby.

A suitable means of identification is to construct recesses within the normal border line of the cards which will be distinctive as to number, position, or both, or which will leave outstanding projections.

The various numbers on the faces of the cards up to ten may be indicated by perforating the cards through the usual positions of the pips, or otherwise.

The court cards may be indicated by a slot of suitable shape cut in a particular position through the card, or by embossing, or brailling, a particular mark upon them without perforation, say for instance, a capital A in the center of the card for an ace, a K in one corner for a king, and so on.

lhe accompanying drawing shows one method of carrying this invention into effect.

Figures 1 to 6 show six playing cards of various values from a pack of any ordinary number, according to the game for which they are being used.

In Figs. 1 to 5 a recess a is cut in the center of the top edge used in each case to distinguish the top from the bottom of the card.

To distinguish a suit the method preferred is to cut one or more corners OR the card, for instance a good sequence is:

(1) Cut out corners c, d, e, f, (as in Fig. 1) to indicate hearts.

(2) Cut out corners c, d, e, (as in Fig. 5) to indicate diamonds.

(3) Cut out corners c, d, (as-in Fig. 4) to indicate clubs.

(4) Cut out corner a (as in Fig. 3) to indicate spades; incidentally these being also the proportionate values assigned to the several suits in the game of bridge.

Ordinary cards will be indicated by nu merical perforations, either circular or otherwise, through the ordinary position of the pips on the commonly known card as shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the eight of hearts.

As regards court cards the ace may be indicated either by an embossed 0r brailled letter A as shown in Fig. 2, or by a circular perforation as in Fig. 6, the disadvantage of an embossed letter of course being that it makes the pack too bulky if many are used.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show a method of indicating a king, queen, and knave, respectively, the slots, g, h, and 2', being placed at the top, middle and base, of the card relative to the recesses a.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative way of indie eating the top of a card, all the upper end being cut away except a small portion which.

therefore projects; combining the two methods a corrugated edge may be used of alternative recesses and projections.

An advantage of the recess (1V is that when a pack is together the open groove across the upper edges will show that all the cards are the right way, up, and further, recesses are likely to last longer without destruction than projecting parts.

It is obvious that many changes and variations'in the details of construction and arrangement would readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

While, therefore, I have shown and described various specific constructions and arrangements as operative embodiments of the principles of my invention, I do not desire to be limited or restricted thereto; but,

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and forms of apparatus embodying the same and having explained its construction, function, and mode of operation, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. Playing cards adapted for use by blind.

people provided with perforations through the faces of the cards to indicate the numerical value and court value thereof respectively, in combinationwith means for indicating the several suits.

2. Playing cards adapted, for use by blind people provided with perforations through the faces of the cards to indicate the numeri cal' value and court value thereof respectively, in combination with one or more edges on the cards constructed witha recess orrecesses causing a departure from the normalor straight edge such that the upright position of the cards when in'usc may be ascertained bythe sense of touch only, and meansfor'indicating the several suits.

3. Playing cards-adapted for use by blind peopleprovided with perforations through the faces of the cards to indicate the numerical value thereof respectively, in combinationwith top edges haying a recess in their center to indicate position, and having one,

two, three, or four corners with a distinctive shape or recess thereon to indicate the predetermined suits of spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts to which they shall apply.

4 Playing cards for use by blind people provided with distinctive shaped perforations in predetermined positions to indicate court cards, in combination with means for indicating the upright position of the cards.

5. Playing cards for use by blind people provided with distinctive shaped perforation's toward the'top, center, and base of the cards to indicate the court cards, king, queen, knave, respectively, in combination with means for indicating the positions of the cards, and means for indicating the suits thereof.

6. Playing cards for use by blind people provided with embossed letters or other marks to indicate the court cards, in combination with means for indicating the suits thereof.

7. Playing cards for use by blind people provided with perforations through the faces of the cards to indicate the numerical value and court value thereof respectively, in combination with one or more edges roustructed with a departure from the normal or straight edge in order to distinguish the proper position of the card.-

8. A pack of playing cards for use by blind people having perforations through the faces of the cards located to correspond with the generally accepted position of the pips to indicate the numerical value of the cards, distinctive shaped perforations toward the top, center, and base of the cards to indicate the court cards, king, queen, knave, respectively, top edges having a central recess to indicate position, and a corner or corners having a distinctive shape and predetermined position to indicate the several suits.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ALFRED A. BTT CCHI.

Copies of this' patent may he obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' WashingtomD. 0. 

